Carriers

Today we get our first major glimpse of what Google developers are doing to prepare Android 11 (or Android R) for 5G connectivity. We see the next-generation operating system update with the Android 11 Developer Preview, a bit of software that was just released for app developers today. With 5G, the Android experience expands in a number of exciting ways - but it begins at the base, with features like "dynamic meteredness" and a newly updated bandwidth estimator API.

Samsung is counting on 2020 to be the year of 5G, and the Galaxy S20 family to ride that high-speed wireless wave, but don't expect it to be entirely confusion-free. For the first time, all versions of the flagship Galaxy series will be 5G out of the gate; problem is, not all 5G is created equal.

T-Mobile and Sprint are one step closer to becoming one company today after a federal judge ruled in favor of their proposed merger. Though this was an encouraging ruling for the executives at both T-Mobile and Sprint, they aren't out of the woods yet, as the California Public Utilities Commission still needs to approve the merger before it becomes a done deal.

It has been a little over two years in the making but the two companies' ordeal might finally be over. Whether or not the merger of two of the US' biggest wireless carriers is still left to be seen but, as far as the federal government is concerned, there might no longer be any legal impediment to Sprint and T-Mobile's merger. That is the favorable decision that a federal judge is expected to give though it doesn't indicate what other concessions the companies had to make to get that.

Puzzle pieces dropped by Niantic, 5G data carriers, and Qualcomm over the past couple of years point to a near-inevitable epic event. Given the products and services we've seen confirmed by the various companies involved, it would appear that Niantic is working on making a legendary event a reality. That event includes Pokemon GO gameplay in augmented and/or mixed reality and a potential inclusion of brand new hardware, enabling and surpassing the mythical event shown in one of the very first official videos made for the game Pokemon GO.

Apple and Samsung continue to dominate smartphone sales in the United States, according to a new report from Wave7 Research. The firm claims that the majority of smartphones sold in-store by the four major US carriers are all from Apple and Samsung, leaving less than 10-percent of the market for brands like Motorola, LG, and others. The report goes on to claim that the iPhone 11 was the most popular phone sold through these carrier stores last month.

With 2019 quickly winding down, it looks like Verizon is rolling out its 5G network up until the very end of the year. Yesterday, the company launched its 5G Ultra Wideband network in parts of Memphis, Tennessee, and now it's adding another six cities to the list. As with all of Verizon's roll outs so far, 5G service is only limited to certain portions of these cities, so you might have to do a little traveling before you actually find a 5G connection.

With 2019 winding down quickly, AT&T announced today that it has expanded its 5G network to 10 new markets. AT&T's 5G rollout began earlier this year, and ever since then, it's been flipping the switch on service in new markets periodically, with a particular focus on its business customers. The company continues to claim that it will have nationwide 5G up and running in the first half 2020, but what that term actually means in regards to AT&T's plans is still a bit nebulous.

The T-Mobile 5G network has gone live in the US, with two new smartphones from OnePlus and Samsung, and the promise of 600MHz 5G service for more than 5,000 cities and towns. The activation, the carrier says, makes it the biggest 5G network in the US, collectively blanketing more than 1 million square miles with speedier service.

If you're a T-Mobile prepaid user, then we've got some sour news to kick off your weekend. T-Mobile announced today that a number of its prepaid subscribers have had their personal information compromised in a data breach. The good news is that none of the financial data, social security numbers, or passwords associated with these accounts were compromised.

AT&T is talking more about its 5G plans today, announcing that it plans to offer nationwide 5G by the end of the first half of 2020. That's a pretty ambitious goal, and to get the ball rolling, AT&T announced that it will launch low-band 5G service in 15 additional cities by February 2020. On top of all that, the company told us which plans we'll need in order to tap into 5G and announced when pre-orders for its first consumer 5G phone, the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G, will open up.

It's the end of an era for T-Mobile, as CEO John Legere announced today that he'll soon be stepping down from his position. The transition won't happen for a little while yet, but T-Mobile has already tapped a successor for Legere, confirming that current president and COO Mike Sievert will be picking up the mantle of CEO. Legere won't be leaving T-Mobile entirely, either, as he'll still be a member of the board after leaving the CEO's office.